An Antonov 225, the heaviest aircraft ever built, landed in Athens’s international airport on Thursday.
Athens airport went on Twitter to post photos of the exciting arrival.
Συμβαίνει τώρα #athensairport! #Antonov225 #avgeeks pic.twitter.com/DbeU2ihvQW
— Athens Airport (@ATH_airport) August 30, 2018
#athensinternationalairport Airbus A380-800 meet Antonov ANT 225 Mriya at #Athensairport pic.twitter.com/oZZKpiauK5
— aris (@arispatrikakos) August 31, 2018
The giant cargo aircraft was designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Ukrainian SSR within the Soviet Union during the 1980s.
It is powered by six turbofan engines and is the heaviest aircraft ever built, with a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tonnes (710 short tons; 630 long tons).
It also has the largest wingspan of any aircraft in operational service.
The airlifter holds the absolute world records for an airlifted single-item payload of 189,980 kilograms (418,830 pounds) and an airlifted total payload of 253,820 kg (559,580 lb).
It has also transported a payload of 247,000 kg (545,000 lb) on a commercial flight.